Nightmare Fuel
by Lion on the Hill
Summary: 'Caution: the following product contains high doses of irresponsibility and bad decision-making. Therefore we don't recommend anybody to use this product: especially not in a class-room setting. To do so might negatively affect your school grades and expose you to the risk of losing House Points, which is a very serious matter. Be careful. Be safe. Don't get caught.'


Nightmare Fuel by Lion on the Hill

' _Caution: the following product contains high doses of irresponsibility and bad decision-making._ _Therefore we don't recommend anybody to use this product: especially not in a class-room setting. To do so might negatively affect your school grades and expose you to the risk of losing House Points, which is a very serious matter. Be careful. Be safe. Don't get caught.'_

Slowly, and a bit shakily, a vial filled with a black-rubbery liquid came to rest on the bottom lip of a young adolescent boy. One slow, agonizing moment passed, wherein the boy swallowed away the nervousness that had build up in his throat. _Well, no way I'm going back now!_ was his final thought as he closed his eyes and tipped the vial's contents back.

It tasted vile. Not so vile as he expected though. It had a deep taste of something honey, and even some thing spicy, however all the good tastes where deeply buried under a half muddy, half asphalt-like palette. Not that many in the room knew what asphalt was, of course.

The boy started gagging and actually throwing up, however he kept his mouth closed. A chorus of 'disgusting!' and 'Merlin!' sounded as Neville finally managed to keep the potion down.

40 pairs of eyes stared at him, completely silent, completely captivated. _Nothing is happening_ , he thought with relief. He moved to put the vial down and jumped when he saw the vial slip from his unresponsive fingers and shatter on the floor.

'It's starting!'

'Ssssht'

'He is changing!', a first year shrieked.

'We know, shut up!'

The group watched in horrid fascination as Neville's height shot up. His short blond hair turned into a shoulder-length, greasy black locks and his face slowly morphed, drawing flesh away from his cheeks to form an abnormally big, hooked nose. The Gryffindor crest on his robe disappeared, leaving him looming over them in a simple black teaching cloak.

Neville looked up from examining his new body, meeting the gaze of the assembled Gryffindors looking at him with a mix of intrigue, fear and dislike. Focusing on George Weasly, he formed his mouth into a malicious sneer and drawled: 'Detention, Mr. Weasly.'

The tension broke and the whole room erupted in laughter. Neville couldn't keep a straight face either and joined in the laughter, making George shudder: the sight of Snape laughing with his house mates scared him much more than getting a detention from the man.

However, before the noise of the laughter and commotion could die down, the two redheaded twins jumped on the common room table and pointed their wand at their own throats and muttered a quick 'Sonoro'.

'Have you got the stones to face your worst nightmare?' Bellowed one twin.

'Are you man enough...'

'Or woman!' Angelique shouted.

'Or woman enough' resumed the other twin, 'to brave the stalking terrors of the night?'

'Are you positive your nightmare is, in fact, the scariest of Hogwarts?'

'Does it even outclass Mr. Snape here?'

'Then buy our new product: Nightmare Fuel!' They both proudly announced.

'Let your enemies wet themselves from your nightmare, created especially for them!' One bellowed.

'Or for your friends! We don't care!' Bellowed the other.

'Limited Halloween edition! Buy it now together with the Umbridge Special: 50% off if you swear to use both in Defense by the end of this week!'

As most of the Gryffindors shot forward to claim a vial of the new product, Fred caught his brothers smile at exchanging one vial for a handful of silver Sickles. A smile he mirrored on his own face. They had both expected the launch of this particular product to go well, but he was nonetheless relieved to see actually see it happen. The dream of opening a joke shop was starting to become more and more achievable with every single item they sold tonight. They sold a lot.

Business was good.


End file.
